SOLUTION: I dont understand this word problem please help me You have been assigned a task of estimating the cost of a tree removal. The cost is $25 per foot, up to 50 feet; above tha

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Question 560349: I dont understand this word problem please help me

You have been assigned a task of estimating the cost of a tree removal. The cost is $25 per foot, up to 50 feet; above that, the cost increases to $50 per foot. You drop the kids off at the swimming pool and see some of your friends basking in the sun and wish you could stay. You get to the job site only to find that the basket truck that was supposed to meet you broke down on the highway 16 miles away. Explain how you can estimate the height of the tree.

Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
You have been assigned a task of estimating the cost of a tree removal. The cost is $25 per foot, up to 50 feet; above that, the cost increases to $50 per foot. You drop the kids off at the swimming pool and see some of your friends basking in the sun and wish you could stay. You get to the job site only to find that the basket truck that was supposed to meet you broke down on the highway 16 miles away. Explain how you can estimate the height of the tree.
:
From the information given, we know the sun is shining, in the morning, so the tree should cast a pretty good shadow.
Measure the shadow from the base of the tree.
Measure the shadow that you have from your body.
The relationship of your height to your shadow will be that same as:
the relationship of the tree height to it's shadow
:
For example, say that you are 5 ft high, your shadow is 10 ft: ratio of 1:2
Or we can say, you are half as long as your shadow
Remember similar triangles
Say the tree shadow is 80 ft, it's half as high as it's shadow also, 40 ft

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